UIL releases classification cutoffs for 2014-16 realignment

Reagan will compete in the new Class 6A in 2014. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle)

Reagan football coach Stephen Dixon was at both ends of the spectrum in talking about his Bulldogs moving up to compete in the state’s largest classification next year.

The University Interscholastic League on Monday released the conference cutoff numbers for the 2014-2016 reclassification and realignment, doing so for the first time instead of waiting until February when the new districts will be released. The numbers provide the range of enrollment for each of the six conferences, including the divisional cutoffs for football.

Domino effect

The names also change — the current Class 5A becomes 6A and on down. Six-Man becomes Class 1A. The 6A/5A cutoff is 2,100.

Reagan, which won a district championship for the first time in 54 years, turned in 2,190.

The Bulldogs will go from the third-largest school in their classification to one of the smaller 6A teams.

“We kind of saw it coming,” Dixon said. “Everything has been increasing, and more students are wanting to come to Reagan. We just have to roll with the punches.

“Coming off the year we had, we were prime to be a 5A power — a school that can consistently be known around the area. But now we’re jumping up and back to where we started from.”

On the other side, Bush, Elkins and Madison are likely to drop down to the new Class
5A.

Also, Yates would move up to 5A, and Wheatley would move down to 4A.

Fort Bend approach

Before Ridge Point opened, Fort Bend ISD had its 10 schools together, opting for smaller schools to move up to keep everyone together. Ridge Point joined Marshall and Willowridge, which both dropped down during the last realignment (2012-14).

“This time we thought we would try something different,” Fort Bend ISD athletic director Philip O’Neal said. “It’s a kid-based decision to give them a chance to compete against schools with like enrollments.”

The 2014-16 alignments will be released Feb. 3 for football and basketball, with alignments for other activities released in the order of their seasons.